Chicago Police Involved in Botched Raid Put On Desk Duty

CHICAGO — Police officers involved in the botched raid of social worker Anjanette Young's home have all been reassigned to desk duty, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday.

Lightfoot criticized the Civilian Office of Police Accountability for dragging out its misconduct investigation of the night police raided Young's home, handcuffed her naked while searching for a wanted man whom she repeated told officers didn't live there.

"I firmly believe in the value that justice delayed is justice denied," Lightfoot said. "Frankly, there is no excuse that this matter has languished for a year without any significant movement on the part of COPA."

The mayor said the officers "need to be off the street" until the civilian watchdog group completes its investigation.

Lightfoot also said she "sought and accepted" the resignation of corporation counsel Mark Flessner over his office's efforts to prevent the public release of video of the botched police raid, including motions to block CBS2 from airing it.

The mayor appointed her legal and ethics adviser, former federal prosecutor Celia Meza, as the law department's interim leader.

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At Monday's news conference, Lightfoot said the moves are part of an effort to rebuild trust in the police and law departments and herself.

Lightfoot initially denied knowing about the botched raid on Young's house, but later said her staff had alerted of the incident in emails last year. The mayor has apologized to Young. She also has ordered city lawyers to drop legal moves aimed at sanctioning Young and her attorney, Keenan Saulter, and ordered top-to-bottom investigation of the raid.

“Now is the time for action. We have to take action to address the changes to policies and regulations to protect all Chicagoans against any kind of abuse, particularly one in their homes, and to ensure that our city government is as transparent as it can be, Lightfoot said.

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A joint meeting of the City Council's public safety and human relations committees on the Young raid is set for a public hearing Tuesday.